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c. A. McCUT CHEON. FLEXIBLE SHAFT COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21' 19l7.

Patented NOV. 4, 1919.

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c. A. McCUTCHEON. FLEXIBLE SHAFT COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21. I91?- 1 ,320,786. I Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

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Application filed June 21, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that CHARLES A. life- CUTCHEON, a oitizen'oi' the Jnited States; and resident of -Falconer, in the county of Chautauqua. and State of New York, have invented new and useful improvements in Flexible Shaft-Couplings, of which thefoh lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to flexible shaft couplings, and has particularreferencc to with respect to the other shaft, but at the same time a positive connection between the two shafts will be sustained.

Another object is to provide a flexible I shaft coupling, adapted-to be interposed between the ends of the driven shaft and a drive shaft, which will not only permit the driven shaft to assume a position out of bination and arrangement of parts hereinafalinement with respect to the drive shaft, but will also permit the driven shaft, when out of alinement to be-rotated ata constant and even rate oi speed with respect to that of the drive shaft.

A further object is to provide in a flexible shaft couplings means whereby a shock,-

incident to the sudden starting of the-driving shaft or to the sudden stopping of the driven shaft, would'be absorbed to an appreciable degree thereby not only'relieving the coupling itself from undue strain, but also such other mechanism as may be connected, either direct orindirectly, thereto.

With the a ove and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the comter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes may be n'l ade in theform, proportion, size, and minor det ils without departing from the spirit or s.

ficing any of the advantages of the inven tion.

In the accompanyin drawingsz- Figure 1 is a side e ovation ofthe in ention,

Fig. 2 is a face View of thernd which hpecir'lcation of letent.

is adaptedfor the reception of the driven shaft,

Fig. 3 is a face view of the end which is adapted for the reception of a driving shaft, i

Fig. iis a longitudinal sectional View of Fig. l, and y Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the inner face of a radial, arm at its outer end.

' Now referringmore particularly to the drawings'the reference characters A and B indicate coupling members, each being provided with a hub '1 and 2 respectively. The hub l is provided with radially extending fingers 3 equidistantly spacedwith respect to each other, and provided with elongated bearing faces 4 attheir outer ends as shownin Fig. These faces 4 are provided with ribs 5 arranged parallel with respect to each other and longitudinally with respect tothe elongated faces at. Thehub 2 of member B,

like the huh I of member A, is provided with radially, extending fingers 6' equidistantly spaced with respect to each other and provided'with elongated bearing faces as indicated by the numeral hand having dis,

posed thereupon ribs arranged parallel with respect to each other and longitudinally with respect to the bearing faces as indicated by numerals 5 5 of Fig. 5. The fingers 3 of the hub [is are arranged to alternate with the fingers 6 of th s hub B.

Disposed between the two coupling members A and B is a plurality of flexible rings 7-7. "T prefer to construct these rings 7'?' of heavy woven material and impregnate the same with vulcanized rubber, thereby forming a ring which will not only p0ssess toughness but also a high' degree of flexibility. I wish it understood, however, that these rings may be formed of any other suitable and desired material.

A. spider 8 is disposedlbetween the flexi ble rings 7 7 and the coupling member A. The spider is provided wlth equidistantly spaced arms 9, each of which is dis osed di rectly between the flexible rings ,-7 and a radial finger 3 of the connecting member A. The spider 8 is centrally provided with a flange 10' adapted to serve for a purpose as will hereinafter be explained in this specification.

The flexible rings 7-7 together with the arms 9 of the spider 8 are secured to the fingers 3 of the connecting member A by means Wall 19 of the flange 10 carried by the spider der 15 approximately the same length as the face 4 of the finger 6 through which the clamp 13 is passed. By providiiiig broad bearing surfaces between the radial lingers 6, the flexible rings 77 and the'head let of the clamp 13, there is created. a tendency to evenly distribute the strain of rotation throughout the flexible rings 7-7 when power is applied to the driving end of the coupling.

'In order to further strengthen the flexible rings 7-7, When under the strain of rotation, I have embedded into and between the flexible rings 7-7 reinforcing washers 1-1 through Which is passed the clamp 13.

The hub 2' of the connecting member B is provided at its outer end with an elonated sleeve 15 adapted to receive a driving shaft (not shown) which may be fartenedtherein by any suitable and desired means. The inner side of the hub 2 is pro-' vided With a guide 16 Which serves not only as a means for centering the members, A and B With respect to each other when they are being joined together, but also as an auxiliary support; The guide 16 has formed at its inner end an enlarged portion 17 provided With a sphericalbearing surface 18 adapted to movably engage the inner 8. The hub 1 ofthe connectingmember A is adapted. to recei e a driven shaft (not shown) and is provided with a key-way :20 adapted to receive a key (not shown) by which the driven-shaft may be secured in the conventional manner.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape,

size and arrangement of parts may be reinner face provided with a plurality of ribs extending longitudinally thereto, the fingers of one member being arranged to alternate with the fingers of the other member; a plurality of flexible rings disposed between said coupling members; a plurality of spacing Washers disposed between said rings; a plurality of bolts, each having an elongated head provided with a face carryin a plurality of ribs extending longitudinal y thereon, said bolts .being adapted to connect said rings with the fingers of one of said couplings and passed through said reinforcing Washers; a spider having a pluality of radial extending arms, said spider being disposed between said flexible rings and one of said coupling members; and a.

plurality of bolts connecting the flexible rings, With the arms of one of said coupling members, said bolts passing through the arms .of said spider.

cinini ns A. Moon-"reason. 

